As Davenport goes bike-friendly, safety becomes priority

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By Tory Brecht | Tuesday, August 19, 2008 12:07 AM CDT | () comments

This City of Davenport illustration shows how bike lanes along Marquette Street would link Duck Creek and Riverfront trails. (CONTRIBUTED ART) Buy this Photo

With Davenport officials getting serious about creating dedicated bicycle and shared vehicle lanes on major roads, concern is growing over mixing cars with bikes.

Aldermen have asked the police department and communications staff to put together an education program aimed at educating drivers and cyclists alike. Extra enforcement is likely as well.

“Motorists need to be aware that cyclists have the same rights on the road, and cyclists have to be aware that they have to follow the same rules as motorists,” Police Chief Frank Donchez said.

Too often, members of both sides fail, said Jeff Cornelius, who heads up the Quad-City Transit Alternatives Group.

“The easy answer is everybody just needs to follow the rules that are already in place,” he said. “It’s easy to say, but a lot harder to do. Anyone who has been around Davenport knows there are a lot of bikers around that don’t obey the rules.”

Although Cornelius rides his bike to work and is a tireless advocate for traveling whenever possible on two wheels, he does not single-mindedly defend cyclists.

On Monday, he pointed to news reports of a bicyclist who was riding the wrong way on 4th Street and was hit by a car in Davenport as an example of a rider making things more difficult for responsible riders.

“We can’t have people blowing through stoplights or riding the wrong way down a one-way street,” he said. “It’s just not acceptable. If Davenport is going the extra mile to come up with better and safer bike accommodations, we have to do our part and make sure cyclists on the street are acting appropriately.”

Earlier this month, aldermen appeared to be solidly behind a plan to spend $300,000 upgrading Jersey Ridge Road and Marquette Street as permanent bike connections between the Duck Creek and riverfront recreational trails.

Both are major north-south thoroughfares, posing the potential for bad outcomes between cyclists and cars.

“Motorists are going to have to change their mindsets,” said 6th Ward Alderman Jeff Justin, who is particularly worried about bike safety.

Craig C. Schultz, the Davenport doctor killed while riding his bicycle on a rural stretch of road near Cordova, Ill., in early August was one of Justin’s neighbors.

“We need a multimedia campaign, and maybe we can get some radio and television stations to run public service announcements on safety awareness,” he said. “I think once we get it up and going, where motorists see bikes more often, they will pay more attention.”

Donchez said stepped-up enforcement along the new bike routes — most of the “issuing a warning” variety — will be considered as well.

Lt. Mike Venema, who oversees the department’s traffic bureau, said he’s been asked to help create an education program on road sharing.

“I think we will probably see an increase and a trend over the next year in the number of bicyclist and motorcyclist injuries and fatalities,” he said, noting that officers are seeing more two-wheeled vehicles on the streets as people try to conserve gas. “Obviously, bicyclists and people on mopeds and motorcycles are harder to see. The problem with bicyclists and motorcyclists — when they come into contact with a car, they lose.”

Cornelius said the TAG group wants to help police.

“We’d like to do kind of a community effort and get out on the roads and work with the department and the police bike patrols on an educational campaign,” he said. “This is going to take some changes in the behavior of cyclists as well as drivers. But the success we’ve had with the sheer number of bikes we’re seeing on the streets and on the trails is encouraging. People are out there biking for transportation.”

Ride safely

Jeff Cornelius of the Quad-Cities Transit Alternative Group offered several tips for safe cycling.

* The best thing to do for biking safety is to follow the rules of the road. By state law, bicycles are subject to the same rules and regulations as motor vehicles.

* Cyclists should pick safe streets to ride on. Cornelius said finding less-busy streets that run parallel to major thoroughfares is always a good idea. Personally, he uses the one-ways on 14th and 15th streets as alternatives to Locust Street, and Lombard Street as an alternative to Central Park Avenue.

* Cyclists should interact with drivers. “Look around, make eye contact with drivers, act early and use hand signals,” Cornelius said.

* Finally, make sure your bike has proper reflectors, lights and other safety equipment. State law requires that bicycles have blinking red tail lights and white headlights when operated after dusk. Wearing bright clothing when possible is also encouraged.

Tory Brecht can be contacted at (563) 383-2329 or tbrecht@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.